SpaceX has postponed its next astronaut flight for NASA until Wednesday because of rough winds and waves hundreds of miles away. Four astronauts were supposed to blast off early tomorrow morning on a six-month mission to the International Space Station. But while the forecast at NASA's Kennedy Space Center was near perfect, a large storm in the Northeast had the sea churning farther up the coast. The safety violation meant managers moved the launch. Good weather is needed right across the North Atlantic to Ireland, in case something goes wrong and the capsule has to make an emergency splashdown.
More than 160 buildings in a town in northwestern Myanmar, including at least two churches, have been destroyed by fires caused by shelling by government troops. The destruction of parts of the town of Thantlang in Chin state look like being the most extensive so far in the ongoing struggle between Myanmar's military government and its opponents. The army seized power in February from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, but has failed to quell the widespread resistance. Human rights groups and U.N. experts have recently warned that the government is planning a major offensive in the country's northwest.
World leaders meeting in Rome have expressed "broad support" for a landmark deal to establish a 15% global minimum corporate tax. It’s aimed at stopping multinational companies from using clever accounting to escape taxes by using low-rate havens. Leaders spoke on the proposal during this afternoon’s opening session of the G20 conference of rich nations. A key question is whether the U.S. Congress will pass legislation to comply, since the United States is home to 28% of the world's 2,000 largest multinationals.
France’s wind turbines are causing controversy Xavier Bertrand, the leading conservative contender for next year’s presidential election says he opposes any "archaic growth" of wind turbines. Two weeks ago, French far-right candidate Marine Le Pen said she would end all subsidies for renewable energy and take down France's wind turbines if she’s elected . Meanwhile the CEO of French company Engie says it would be a "huge mistake" to suspend wind power development France produces about three quarters of its power in nuclear plants, which means its electricity output has among the lowest carbon emissions of any developed country. However, it lags far behind Germany and other European nations in wind and solar investment.
Reports are coming in from Sudan that two protesters have been shot dead by troops in the capital Khartoum's twin city of Omdurman. Thousands of Sudanese people have poured into the streets, chanting "revolution, revolution" to the sound of whistles and drums. They’re protesting against a military coup earlier this week that is threatening to derail the country's transition to democracy. Pro-democracy groups had called for mass protests across the country to press demands for re-instating a deposed transitional government and releasing senior political figures from detention. The United States and the United Nations have warned Sudan's strongman, General Abdel-Fattah Burhan, that they view the military's treatment of the protesters as a test, and called for restraint.
Parts of the UK have been hit with almost a month’s worth of rain in 48 hours, with more downpours expected over the weekend, ahead of the COP26 climate summit. Weather warnings for rain remain in several parts of the country, including Glasgow where the climate emergency talks will start tomorrow The Environment Agency says there are eight flood warnings, meaning that flooding is expected, and 51 flood alerts, meaning that flooding remains likely. In Dartmoor, Devon parts of the area received nearly five inches of rain in 48 hours – that’s almost as much as the average for the whole of October.
Italy's Premier Mario Draghi has opened a conference of the world's richest countries with a sharp call to pick up the pace in getting vaccines to poor countries. He’s calling the gaping global COVID-19 vaccine gap "morally unacceptable." Draghi reminded his fellow leaders that only 3% of people in the world's poorest countries are vaccinated, while 70% in rich countries have had at least one shot. The global economy is recovering from the pandemic at different speeds. Climate change, vaccines, the recovery and international taxation are all on the agenda as leaders hold their first in-person summit since Covid struck.
A drug smuggler has been jailed for 20 years after admitting smuggling cocaine into the UK, including a load hidden in a shipment of children’s toys. Chris Michaelides from Essex was arrested following a complex operation which dismantled an encrypted communications system. He’d been in contact for six years with an international network of criminals in Holland and the Czech Republic. One plot involved loading children’s bricks with 50kg of cocaine into a lorry for import into the UK. But the plan was foiled as authorities intercepted the vehicle.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she’s looking forward to taking it easy after 16 years at the helm of her country. She’s told reporters she will perhaps travel a bit or read, knowing that no possible upheaval may happen in the next 20 minutes. The Social Democrats, the Greens and the Free Democrats are in talks about forming a coalition government after last month’s election. Outgoing Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz of the Social Democrats appears to have the best chance of become the next leader. Until the next government has been formed, Merkel will continue as caretaker leader, she’s now at the G20 summit in Rome.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited Pope Francis to visit the country, extending an official invitation after plans for a 2017 papal visit fell apart. Modi is in Rome for the G20 summit. His visit to the Vatican marks the first time in more than 20 years that an Indian leader has met a pope. India is home to the second largest Catholic population in Asia after the Philippines, but the 18 million Catholics are a small minority in the largely Hindu nation of 1.3 billion. Religious tensions have flared after Modi's Hindu nationalist government was returned to power for a second term in 2019, with attacks against Muslims and Christians.
A female jaguar has undergone a medical procedure that could help preserve her species. Eight-year-old Bianca has been artificially inseminated with frozen semen from a male from another location, by scientists from Brazil and the US. Two years ago, she gave birth to a healthy cub by the same process and was the first in the world to do so. Jaguars are becoming rare in the wild, numbers are falling because of fires and habitat loss in the Amazon area and inbreeding becomes a problem in small, isolated populations. Frozen semen can be used for years but doesn’t have the same success rate in big cats than in humans.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has denied that his government's policies on coal and air travel undermine his message that the world needs to wean itself off of fossil fuels. He will welcome world leaders to Glasgow, Scotland, for the United Nations climate summit tomorrow and wants them to improve on their commitments to cutting greenhouse gas emissions. But, at home, his government this week slashed tax on domestic air fares, and it is considering whether to approve the U.K.'s first deep coal mine for decades. The Prime Minister says Britain's pledge on cutting carbon dioxide emissions is one of the "punchiest" of any country.
A Turkish-flagged cargo ship carrying about 400 migrants will dock at a Greek port to let them disembark. It’s being towed by a Greek coastguard vessel and sent a distress signal near the island of Crete. Greece's Shipping Ministry has asked Turkey to accept the vessel's return. Greece is the main route into the European Union for asylum-seekers arriving from Turkey. Although numbers fell sharply after a deal was signed to stop migrants from crossing to Greece, many EU states fear more will attempt the journey after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.
Boris Johnson says The Queen is on “very good form,” despite being told to rest for two weeks. The Prime Minister’s in Rome for a G20 summit of world leaders He told reporters the “important thing” was that the monarch follows the advice of her doctors and gets some rest. He added that the whole country wishes her well. The Queen underwent tests in hospital last week and cancelled a two-day trip to Northern Ireland as well as a visit to the climate crisis summit in Glasgow. But the head of state says she has the “firm intention” of leading the nation in honouring the country’s war dead on Remembrance Sunday on November 14.
Opponents of a military coup in Sudan are holding nationwide protests. They’re demanding the restoration of a civilian-led government to put the country back on a path to democracy after decades of authoritarian rule. Thousands of Sudanese people have already taken to the streets to protest against General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan ousting Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok's cabinet. In response to the coup, western countries have frozen hundreds of millions in aid. The United States is calling for the restoration of the civilian-led government and says how the army reacts today will be a test of its intentions. The State Department is calling on security forces to not to use violence against protesters. At least 11 demonstrators so far have been killed in clashes with security forces
U.S. governors want a seat at the table as world leaders prepare to gather in Scotland for talks to reduce fossil fuel emissions and slow the planet's temperature rise. At least a half dozen state governors — all Democrats — plan to attend parts of the two-week United Nations' climate change conference in Glasgow, known as COP26. They’re from California, New Mexico, Hawaii, Louisiana, Illinois and Oregon Other states sending officials include Maryland and Massachusetts, which have Republican governors. In California, Governor Gavin Newsom has pledged to halt the sale of new gas-powered cars in the state by 2035, it’s aimed at accelerating the nation's transition to electric vehicles. Few U.S. states are as influential as California. It’s home to nearly 40 million people and would be the world's fifth-largest economy if it were an independent nation.
Zayn Malik has been axed by his record label after reports that he had been smoking cannabis. RCA Records, owned by Sony Music Entertainment, dropped the former One Direction star due to concerns about his lifestyle choices. It comes after the 28-year-old was charged with harassing his ex Gigi Hadid and her mother Yolanda after an alleged altercation at his Pennsylvania home, he denies the accusation. Malik launched a solo career after leaving One Direction in 2015. His most recent album, January’s Nobody Is Listening, peaked at 17 in the UK albums chart.
The erupting volcano on the Spanish island of La Palma is attracting tourists keen to see the spectacle and boost the community’s economy by spending money at hotels and restaurants. The authorities has restricted access to the roads near the Cumbre Vieja volcano so that security and emergency teams can operate as visitors arrive for the All Saints' Day weekend. But they’ve also set up a free bus service so people can view it from a safe distance. Since the eruption began last month, lava has covered more than 2,000 acres, destroying around 2,000 buildings and many banana plantations. More than 7,000 people have had to leave their homes.
Gunmen on a motorbike have fired on a broadcast journalist in his car in the Afghan capital of Kabul. Iranian broadcaster Ali Reza Sharifi survived the attack last night with minor wounds. A media watchdog has reported more than 30 instances of violence and threats of violence against Afghan journalists over the last two month, with nearly 90% committed by the Taliban. Since the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan in late August, three journalists have been killed in the country.
The Prince of Wales believes changes to the way cities are developed are needed to combat the climate emergency. Prince Charles was speaking ahead of the G20 summit where he will join world leaders, before the UN climate change conference COP26, which formally opens in Scotland on Monday. He says a change in lifestyles will be needed in the battle for the environment and sustainable urban development is an important part of responding to the climate crisis.
Max Hansen
so many lies in such a small clip